i dont know the figures, but do you know what percentage of your £5 goes to charity from oxfam compared to live aid. I know that in some case, for every £1 donated some charities only give 30-40p to the cause, the rest goes on admin fees and wages. at least bob geldof has got everyone to donate their time and the govenment to give back the vat.

why? Its a rubbish song.

It's kind of criticising the meaning of it!

Thats like saying bohemian rhapsody is crap because it sounded crap on saturday.

Very much like the queen song (murdered by G4!), the new version of Do they know its christmas was ruined by the new singers....

Westlife weren't even approached. End of. Louis Walsh is a sour little prick, excuse the language.

excused he is,thats putting it mildley,i would be banned if i put wot i realy thought of that creep walsh,i hate that man.

I am sorry to be awkward but I don't find the song too bad. It serves its purpose. Even the people on the first version didn't think much of the song itself. I have bought it.

I am fed up with people moaning on about how bad it is.

Agreed.Compared to some of the crap we have had this year, i would hardly say it was terrible

I think you'll find that people in the undeveloped world would be quite happy to receive the funds from the record, as these people live hand to mouth and unlike our goodselves they don't hold opinions such as "spoiled luvvies" etc and are grateful for whatever aid they can get. These people want to lift themselves out of poverty, want to be self sufficient, but it is only natural for them to want to eat first of all.

Anneonholiday, ou say it isn't intended to guilt people into buying the record, but look at it objectively instead of through the rose tinted glasses. The line "Tonight thank god its them instead of you". alone is designed to make you feel shitty for having a better life than someone else, and I think that is reprehensible when the people who are attempting making you feel like this "earn" more in a year than most of us will earn in a lifetime.

For christ's sake even Geldof said it's purpose was to make people feel guilty.

I said this exact same fact about ten posts ago, but it obviously didnt compute for some people!

Its all in the lyrics:
====================
It's Christmastime,
there's no need to be afraid
At Christmastime,
we let in light and we banish shade
And in our world of plenty
we can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world
at Christmastime

But say a prayer,
pray for the other ones
At Christmastime it's hard,
but when you're having fun
There's a world outside your window,
and it's a world of dread and fear
Where the only water flowing
is the bitter sting of tears
And the Christmas bells that ring there
are the clanging chimes of doom
Well tonight thank God it's them
instead of you

And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life(Oooh)
Where nothing ever grows
No rain or rivers flow
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

Here's to you raise a glass for everyone
Here's to them underneath that burning sun
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

Feed the world
Feed the world
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again

Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again
==================

why? arn't we allowed to dislike the sound of a song just because its for charity? charidee is a comedy reference to something harry enfield once did i believe.

ok ok - when you throw that line at me - yes that is the guilt line, but I disagreed with your earlier comment that the song was designed for rich millionaires to make the common people feel guilty. I think it's for everyone to feel a bit bad and give what ever you can afford.

My main problem with what you are saying is that you seem to think Band Aid is a bad idea. I think looking at it from results rather than processes it can't ever be descibed as bad. The song does good. Does it matter for what reason people buy it - so long as money goes to those who need it.

I guess being brought up on the stories of Live Aid does make me see it a bit idealistically, but my usually my glasses are much murkier than the rose tinted ones you suggested

I reckon BH is the worst song in the history of the world ever, whoever sings it.

I agree.

G4 just manage to make it sound even worse!!!!!

Never heard of BH but BR is a brilliant composition, and I thought it was ideal for G4s classical voices. But then I appreciate good music!

Louis's comments are a bit laughable really, he's just bullsh*tting because Westlife were never gonna be asked. He never made any calls because he new the answer was gonna be no, so now he's trying have the last laugh because the end result isn't that great.

Just about all the acts taking part in Band Aid 20 were more credible than Westlife could ever hope to be (admittedly, there's a question mark or two over Rachel Stevens ).

Still, perhaps they missed out on Westlife's considerable, nay, unrivaled experience in the area of cover versions .

So why on earth do you like G4?!?!

What percentage of the money spent on Band Aid gets to the people who need it? I'm not convinced the food doesn't end up sitting in a government warehouse somewhere.

It's been shown that there is enough money in Africa to feed all Africans, but it isn't being produced in the right places, or transported there. Instead of applying what is quite literally a "band aid" to the problem, we need to sort out the continent's infrastructure and corrupt governments so that the genuinely needy get the help they deserve and need. Transportation and storage of food need to be sorted out. What is the point in sending all of the food there if they will be in the same position next Christmas? We need to sort out the irrigation and agriculture on the African continent so the food can also be produced where it is most needed.

HIV and AIDS has now exploded across Africa in a way it had not twenty years ago. We should be looking at ways to educate the population so this deadly condition does not spread. In the UK, infection rates remain low. They have increased by 90% in recent years, but 90% of that increase has arisen from immigration, a great deal of it from sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS was diagnosed in both the USA and the US in the 1980s, yet the level of infection in the US is below 3% of the population and below 0.5% in the UK. It is women who are bearing the brunt of the infections in Africa and we need to change the attitudes there so women can so no to sex, or no without a condom being used.

Why this big long rant to your one simple comment? Well whilst the spirit behind Band Aid is laudable, Africa has problems that shipping a load of grain over there for Christmas won't fix. For me, the song just suggests that if we feed them this Christmas, we solve a problem. All we do is temporarily save the lives of a minority of those who are suffering in Africa. I would have thought in 2004 we could have come up with a new idea.

What a complete and utter crock of crap.

The song doesnt suggest we completely solve the problem and neither does bob geldof.

Its this negative approach that prevents progress.

And what price can be placed on saving one life or even just making someone live longer? A year, a month, a week or a day extra to live. Is £3.99 too much?

Its not up to songwriters and record buyers to fix the problem permenantly - thats down to Mr Blair.

Dont forget its not just about sending food. And there are other charities working in the same area that dont raise anywhere near what band aid will.

Even the official site says "its an ok song, ok tune...", its just about money not making an impressive record. Even if you think the record is complete shit buy it. Or even better, visit the website and donate.

No, I said designed BY millionaires. Not FOR them. Although it is a tiny word, it does change the meaning of the sentence a lot.

And yes, I do think Band Aid is a bad idea. It's exploitative and disgusting to prey on the guilt of Set of people A simply because they aren't Set of people B. Don't misunderstand, I am not saying therefore we shouldn't give a shit about the people in Africa, or Bosnia or the local town centre for that matter. But for this bunch of people to sit there on television or preach on the radio about how much better we have it in order to make us feel worse is disgusting. It's akin to writing a song about how great it is to have two legs in order to make us feel sorry for those with none.

As for results, like Vodka Squirrel, I too am skeptical as to how much of this aid they buy ever actually ends up where they say. Considering the amount of money given to charity (aside from Band Aid) is more than enough to solve the problem.


But then, if we solve the problem that would pretty much put Bono and Geldof out or work wouldn't it? And we can't have that... Not when Bono is just a couple of inches away form that Halo he so desperately wants...

Oh and Steve007, do you actually live in the real world? You are quite okay with putting a plaster over a gunshot wound? If so, how about you go and live off next to nothing for a year, and when christmas rolls around, I'll chuck you a loaf and give you a hug.

As for your negative attitude preventing progress comment. I think you argued against your point about 3 lines after it when you said "Its not up to songwriters and record buyers to fix the problem permenantly - thats down to Mr Blair."

Surely you are saying it is him preventing progress then?

One or the other, it can't be both.

People have the knowledge what the record and sales are about - its not exploitive.

And the money raised buys much more than just christmas dinner. We are talking about water installations and medical supplies that last much longer.

I'm not so tight with my money that feel the need to raise issue over spending £3.99 on a record if it gives someone the chance to live longer.

Has anyone on here heard or even thought about the real meaning of the expression "there but for the grace of god" because i for one certainly have.


Lets not forget that we are all brought into the world the same way and we all go out the same way, unfortunately what happens in between can literally be the difference between life and death.


There should never be a "them" and "us" in any situation in life but there is, and i for one would do anything to change this.

I for one will donate to this very real cause, not because i have been bullied into it because i happen to have conscience, not a guilty one either, and i want this suffering to cease.
Last edited by stargirl : 08-12-2004 at 12:04

D Sizzle, ultimately, I don't think that you can say Band Aid is a bad idea because love it, or hate it, you can't deny that it brings the inequality problems in this world into the public concience. The kids that love Busted, may never have realised what's going on in Africa, and may become inspired to do something about it. These kids are the next generation of world leaders and influencers.

Band Aid is in effect a plaster and a short term solution, but it's better than nothing at all isn't it? Yes, we should be worried if people think that buying the record can ease their concience and then it's all fixed and we can forget about Africa - but I don't believe that'll happen. Band Aid can help get the ball rolling.

Tsk... and saying Bono's after a halo. How cynical can you get? If he just stuck at being a rich rock star, people would complain that he did nothing with his wealth and influence. You're damned if you do...

Well the single's obviously done some good then because if they hadn't re-recorded it, then Oxfam wouldn't have got your £5...